April 2016 News Archive

Council to discuss residential waste unit limit on Monday

April 21, 2016 10:48 AM

(Red Deer, Alberta)

The residential waste unit limit will be back on the table at Monday’s scheduled council meeting where City Council will consider second and potentially third and final reading. The proposed policy change would see the residential waste collection program limit reduced from five units to three.

The move to three units, whereas a unit is defined in the bylaw as a bag or can with a 100 litre capacity, is part of the Waste Management Master Plan (WMMP) to bring Red Deer’s per capita disposal rate down to 500 kg per capita per year. The average number of waste units set out by households in Red Deer is approximately 1.8 units per week.

“Surveys and waste audits conducted have shown us that Red Deer is capable of this reduction,” said Janet Whitesell, Waste Management Superintendent. “Only about six per cent of households in Red Deer are currently setting out four units of waste or more each week and we intend to work with and educate those households to help them reduce their waste units.”

That includes a transition plan to help households ease into the new waste limit and providing education on how to recycle more in order to waste less. Residents would continue to have the option of purchasing extra waste tags for $1.00 per tag, which can be affixed to a garbage bag. If the three unit limit is approved by council, The City will be providing each household with access to a fixed number of courtesy waste tags for residents to use at their own convenience.

“We want to set residents up for success with this new waste limit, and ensuring residents are aware of all their options for waste reduction is part of that process,” said Whitesell.

Council will hear second reading on Monday and could potentially move to third and final reading.